The Way You Look Tonight
by DC2 dementedchrisDora-chan
Summary: In this romantic comedy, Tsukushi finds herself torn between Rui and Tsukasa once more. What would Tsukushi do when she is squeezed between Tsukasa's jealous wrath and Rui's ambiguous intensions? Read on to find out!
1. In Which Tsukushi Goes to a Wedding

**The Way You Look Tonight**

Chapter One: In Which Tsukushi Goes to a Wedding

by dementedchris and Dora-chan

@----

_...Only afraid that I will fall in love with you. _

_Don't dare let myself lean too close..._

"Rui..." called a soft female voice.

Hanazawa Rui walked into the study in the east wing of the Hanazawa mansion, following his mother's melodic voice. He entered the chamber quietly and, closing the door behind him, gave his mother a questioning look.

"Yes, mother?" he said, his voice bearing the trademark tenderness of the Hanazawa clan.

Sitting behind a paper-filled desk, Mrs. Hanazawa looked up at her son and smiled slightly, in that motherly and elegant way that only she can manage. Few woman are fortunate enough to possess the natural glow that she seemed to radiate and also a certain refine, careless grace that made her almost surreal. Rui obviously took after her high cheekbones, fair hair, and other modeling features. 

"I just want to remind you that your cousin Akiko's wedding is this Saturday, dear."

"I remember, mother."

Mrs. Hanazawa paused, as if wondering how to voice her concerns without embarrassing her son. The Hanazawa's had always been a courteous and refined group, not prone to bluntness or rude confrontations. She cleared her throat politely and cast her eloquent eyes upon her son and heir.

"Well, Rui, it's going to be a very important affair, and a lot of public figures are going to be present...so...have you..." she trailed off uncertainly as she shifted slightly in her chair.

Rui smiled at her motherly concern.

"Don't worry, mother. I already know what suit to wear. I won't embarrass cousin Akiko on the most important day of her life."

Mrs. Hanazawa was too elegant to sweat-drop à la the hackneyed Anime teenager, so she simply blinked several times and sighed. "No, not that, dear. I have never doubted your impeccable sense in fashion. What I meant to ask was...have you decided which young lady to take to the wedding, yet?"

Rui blinked. Rapidly, as a show of surprise. Had the girls of Eitoku been there to witness it they would have squealed in girlish excitement--it was rare indeed that the stoic Hanazawa Rui would deign to display such raw and genuine expressions.

"Er...beg pardon, mother?" he said weakly, praying to the heavens that he heard her wrong.

"A date for the wedding, Rui," his mother said patiently. "You need a date."

"...Why?" Rui muttered, an odd sensation sinking in his stomach.

"What do you mean 'why'? This is a wedding and a formal occasion, honey. You are eighteen and quite of age, so it will naturally be expected that you procure a date for such an event!" Mrs. Hanazawa exclaimed, as if it was obvious.

"But..." Rui faltered, kicking his brain to think fast (for once). "Mother, I don't..."

"Rui," sighed Mrs. Hanazawa. "There are so many proper young ladies at Eitoku...surely you could ask one of them to accompany you for just one evening? I'm sure they would be thrilled." She smiled warmly at her son. After all, he wasn't a bad looking boy.

Rui groaned. Yes, the Eitoku girls would be thrilled if he asks them. But...

"Mother, you don't understand," he said helplessly.

His mother paused, regarding her son quietly for a long moment or two. He stared blankly back at her, watching his own reflection in her clear, blue pupils. Then...

"Is it...is it Shizuka, Rui?" she asked tentatively, sliding her glasses down her powdered nose and peering at her son over them. Shizuka had been one of her major concerns about her son. Rui had been so deeply attached to the girl that Mrs. Hanazawa feared Rui would fall apart emotionally and psychologically after Shizuka decided to return to France.

_Is he too scarred to venture to fall for another woman?_ Mrs. Hanazawa looked worriedly at her son. _My poor little Rui..._

"It's...not...Shizuka..." Rui managed to say, not exactly sure how to articulate his thoughts. His mother eyed him skeptically. "It's just that...well, I don't want to ask anyone." He finished lamely.

"But it's expected of you, Rui."

"Oh well."

"Rui!"

Rui gave a martytred sigh. "But mother...you don't understand. The Eitoku girls...well, they...they..."

_They want Hanazawa Rui--his money and his power. But they don't want me._

"Oh, for heaven's sake, Rui," Mrs. Hanazawa said, exasperated. After all, she's an Hanazawa, not a saint. "You're just asking her to accompany you for one day, it's not like you're going to _marry_ her. What's the big deal?"

"But...!"

_...but the girls at Eitoku are like vultures preying on available men!_

Mrs. Hanazawa put her glasses back on and said in a firm, final sort of voice, "The matter is settled, Rui. It's time you learn about social etiquettes. You _will_ find a date for Akiko's wedding this Saturday. This discussion is closed. You may go."

The young Hanazawa heir cursed his ill karma and groaned once more as he walked out of his mother's study.

@----

Makino Tsukushi walked quietly down the hall, careful not to disrupt the classes on either side of her. She had asked her teacher for permission to use the restroom and then promptly used the oppotunity to head towards the emergency stairwell.

Ditching is simply too easy at Eitoku.

She reached the emergency exits and, pushing the doors open, protruded her head to peer around. To her quiet satisfaction, she found Hanazawa Rui sitting on the ground as he leaned his back carelessly against the wall. His eyes were closed and he wore an irritated frown on his handsome features as he silently bemoaned his fate.

Tsukushi smiled to herself. He was graceful even when he didn't intend to be.

She stepped onto the stairwell and kneeled down next to the troubled boy.

"...What happened to you? You look so tragic."

Rui snapped his eyes half open crossly. "Guess, why don't ya," he challenged, almost sarcastically.

"Okay, then..." she fingered her chin thoughtfully. "Did someone die?"

Rui's eyes snapped fully open as he stared at her in horrified disbelief.

"No!"

"The F4 broke up again?"

"No. Worse."

"You are sleep deprived?"

"No."

"Your TV broke?" she asked. Such an event would probably be like the apocalypse for Rui.

"No!" he fumed.

Tsukushi laughed, despite herself. Rui, when irritated, was simply adorable.

Watching her giggle like she had gone mad, Rui couldn't help but surrender a small smile as well. Then he understood...she was hoping to cheer him up. _ Makino always has such weird tactics..._

_But effective, nonetheless._

I was just brooding over something my mother said to me last night," Rui said finally.

"Oh?" said Tsukushi, sitting down in another position to make herself more comfortable on the cement. "What did she say?"

Rui remained silent for a moment, staring off into nothing. He was simply stalling for time, of course; he just didn't want her to delve too deeply into his personal affairs...

"Oh, come on. You're not going to make me guess again, are you?"

Another smile graced his lips. Tsukushi almost sighed.

_I've gotten too comfortable with just being his friend that I've almost forgotten how beautiful he really is..._

Tsukushi blushed. _Kyaa~! What am I thinking!?_

"It's nothing, really..." he paused, suddenly staring at her intently as if noticing her presence for the first time.

"Eh?" Tsukushi blinked, taken aback at his sudden change of attitude.

"You." he breathed. "You're an Eitoku girl."

Tsukushi sweat-dropped. "...And you're just realizing this..._now_!?"

"But you're not really one of the Eitoku girls..." he went on, more to himself than to her. "That's it!"

"Hanazawa...Rui?" Tsukushi blinked again, her eyes turning into tiny dots.

"Makino," Rui said suddenly, giving her a small, half smile that would give many girls a bloody nose. "What are you doing this Saturday?"

Tsukushi cocked her head, thinking. "Nothing much, really..."

"Good. You can be my date at my cousin's wedding, then."

Tsukushi gaped, not believing her ears. Did Hanzawa Rui just ask her out? Did _Hanazawa Rui _just ask her out? Did Hanazawa Rui just _ask her out_!?!?

"Wh--What!?" she gasped.

"Well, why not?" he reasoned. "You have nothing to do anyway, and I need to find someone to escort. You're the perfect candidate because I'm not comfortable around strange women anyway."

"But...but..."

"Hey, remember that time I went to Amakusa Seinosuke's birthday party with you? Well, now it's time for you to return the favor."

"But...I don't have anything to wear to something as formal as that!" Tsukushi protested, blushing.

Rui waved her objections carelessly aside. "I'll find something appropriate for you. No worries." He glanced at his watch and stood up. "Well, see ya on Saturday."

At this, he actually flashed Tsukushi a genuine smile. A real, Hanazawa Rui smile.

Dazed, Tsukushi blinked and caught her breath. _I can't believe..._

_Hanazawa Rui actually asked me out on a date!_

@----

"So tell me again why Rui isn't riding with us," Soujiro asked as he straightened the lapels of his expensive tux.

Akira gave a short laugh. "Said he was taking a _date_."

"Rui, with a girl other than Shizuka? The world must be flat."

Akira shrugged. "I know. Sure, he went through his dating phase after he came back from paris, but Rui's Rui. He's just not the playboy type."

Even as the two guys bantered on, they were well aware of someone brooding at one corner of the car. Tsukasa gazed out the tinted window of his limousine, lost in thought. Rui's cousin Akiko had been a friend of his sister when they were younger, and in their elite social circles, it was hard to ignore such invitations. He had to come. They were all expected to.

The invitation had been for him and Tsubaki, politely informing them that there were two seats reserved for them. His sister had confirmed, but at the last minute had to fly back to the United States, leaving Tsukasa with an extra seat. So he did the next best thing -- he asked Tsukushi.

_After all, what girl would say no to Doumyouji Tsukasa?_

Well, Makino Tsukushi, apparently.

"You shouldn't have waited until the last minute," Akira said casually, reading his thoughts.

"Yesterday was not the last minute!" he growled in his own defense. Akira and Soujiro were there when he had waylaid her during lunch and informed her that they were going to the wedding on Saturday.

_And what had she said then?_ Tsukasa thought furiously. _She said she was going to be busy. Busy? What kind of an excuse was that? _

"But you shouldn't have gotten mad at her when she blew you off," Soujiro interjected. "Girls are like that. They don't want to give you the impression that she waited the whole week for you to ask her out even if she did. So she has to act hard to get."

"Makino's not like that," Tsukasa defended.

"have you even heard yourself talking?" Soujiro asked. "Yesterday you were all mad at her. Now you're defending her. Make up your mind!"

But Tsukasa's mind was busy with someone else -- replaying yesterday's conversation with Tsukushi. When he insisted to know what was going to keep her busy on Saturday, she said she was going to a wedding with Yuuki. For a minute, he had to stop and recall who Yuuki was until he remembered the curly haired girl she came with in Canada.

"Can't you tell her to cancel the wedding?" he demanded.

"It's not her wedding, you idiot!" she informed him. "How can she cancel it?"

"It's been done before," he replied in a huff.

Tsukushi threw her hands up. "You exasperate me completely."

"To hell with girls!" he cried out.

Akira's laughter made Tsukasa realized that he had spoken the last line out loud. "That's the spirit." The limousine pulled to a stop in front of a grand cathedral. "Well, here we are. Who knows, Tsukasa? You might meet the woman of your dreams today. There'll be plenty of them inside." Then he winked. "Hopefully, married ones."

"You are one sick guy," Soujiro said as he got out of the car.

Tsukasa watched his friends. _I wish it could be just as easy for me to forget about her. But Makino's different._

He half-heartedly followed his two friends up the cathedral steps. But before he reached the top step, both guys turned to him and steered him to the side entrance. "Let's grab some seats before they get filled up," Akira suggested.

Tsukasa was no pushover. He immediately sensed something was up. "This isn't a baseball game. Believe me, people don't line up for seats at a wedding."

"But I see someone we know over there," Soujiro added.

Tsukasa broke free from their grasp and turned back to where they were originally headed.

_Maybe I shouldn't have._

There stood Hanzawa Rui, smiling pleasantly at his mother. And at his side, looking radiant like a bride, was Makino Tsukushi.

Akira and Soujiro sighed. Heaven help them now.

"Listen, Doumyouji, I --" Tsukushi began as Tsukasa strode towards them.

"Fancy meeting you here. You said you were going to be with Yuuki today," Tsukasa said, his voice unnaturally calm and steady. "I didn't know Yuuki suddenly grew a foot taller and lost her chest."

She blushed. "It's not what you think, really, but if I told you that I was with Hanazawa Rui, I had a feeling you would freak out and --"

"Freak out? Who's freaking out?" he continued in that controlled voice.

Rui stepped in. "I only asked Tsukushi because --"

But Rui never got to finish his sentence as the organ began to play. Rui's cousin Akiko stood at the end of the church, blushing in her white gown. Soujiro laid an arm on Tsukasa's shoulder, and he allowed himself to be led away in the opposite direction.

_She lied to me._

The thought kept echoing in Tsukasa's mind. How could she lie to him? All throughout the ceremony, Tsukasa could only keep his eyes on Rui and Tsukushi.

As the priest gave his homily, he watched Rui pick up a handkerchief Tsukushi dropped.

As the bride and groom exchanged rings, he watched Rui take out a corsage from his pocket.

Tsukasa strained his neck trying to see what he would do next. Slowly, Rui leaned closer to Tsukushi, bringing the red corsage to her breast...

...closer...

...closer...

_...he was practically kissing her!_

"...speak now or forever hold your peace," the priest intoned.

"STOP!" Tsukasa thundered, jumping to his feet.

Everyone looked his way, including a very startled bride and groom. Rui dropped the corsage in surprise. Akira and Soujiro leapt up and tried to get him to sit down. 

"You have any objections, young man?" the priest asked, his forehead wrinking.

Akiko looked embarrassed. "Tsukasa? What are you doing?" She turned to her would-be husband. "I swear, honey, he's just my friend's kid brother!"

"Sit down, Tsukasa!" Soujiro hissed.

"Are you crazy?" Akira piped up.

Tsukasa looked around, turning red. He opened his mouth to apologize, searching the church for Akiko's parents, until he saw Tsukushi staring straight at him.

And he flared up again.

He shook a finger at her. "This is all your fault!" Then he turned and stomped out of the church without a backward glance.

...to be continued.

@----


	2. In Which Mrs Makino Interferes

**The Way You Look Tonight**

Ch. II: In Which Mrs. Makino Interferes

by DC2: dementedchris and Dora-chan

@----

_Never thought that it would be like this_

_You've captured me _

_Completely_

Tsukasa knew that she was standing behind him without even turning around. he knew he could pick her out in a crowd or manage to track her down if she ever ran away. He knew her walk. He knew her scent.

And he knew that she was flaming mad at him.

_Her fault_, he reminded himself, pretending to still be listening to Soujiro talk. It was her fault that he had gotten mad because she allowed Rui to get so close to her. He finally broke off his conversation with Soujiro and faced her, only to be met with a blow to his jaw. 

Damn, the girl knew how to hit.

"How can you embarrass us like that?" she demanded.

_Us? Since when were they an 'us?'_ But before he could say a word, she was already firing away. "Thank God Rui managed to hold me back before I stood up to strangle you."

Rui. Tsukasa's features darkened at the name, and the accusation flew out of his mouth. "I wasn't the one who lied. You said you were going to be with Yuuki. Then I have to see you getting cozy with that guy in front of hundreds of people!"

"Calm down, Tsukasa," Soujiro interjected.

Tsukushi had the grace to blush, but she was ready with a comeback just the same. "First of all, he asked me earlier. I didn't tell you because I knew you'd make a big deal out of it, like you're doing now. Besides, why should I tell you? Second, we were _not_ getting cozy. He was just pinning my corsage, if your twisted mind didn't see it the first time around. And there weren't hundreds of people there! And last, if ever there _were_ a hundred people there and I wanted to get cozy with someone before them, it certainly isn't any of your business!

"Of course it's my business!" he shouted back. How can she say it wasn't? He wanted to be with her, or wasn't she listening when he told her, that night in his room? Sometimes she wondered if there was something seriously wrong with this woman.

Tsukushi looked positively livid. "Why am I even trying to explain myself? There's just no use trying to reason with you, Doumyouji. You don't own me like you do everything else in this school." Then her voice softened just a bit. "And I thought you said you believed in me."

"That was before you lied to me," he replied.

Tsukushi opened her mouth, as if to say something, but thought otherwise and closed it. Then she turned around and walked away.

Tsukasa started after her, but Soujiro held his arm back, shaking his head. Tsukasa glared at him angrily and shouted after her. "And where do you think you're going?"

She didn't answer. She didn't even look back.

All the fight in him slowly seeped out as he watched her retreating figure. He shouldn't have asked; he knew she was heading for the emergency staircase.

And just like that, he had driven her back to Rui again.

@----

"I hate him," Tsukushi muttered under her breath. "I hate him, I hate him, I hate him!"

"I assume you're talking about Tsukasa," a voice noted behind her in its trademark deadpan manner.

She shifted in her seat to face him as he sat down the step beside her. "I there anyone else?"

Rui smiled. "I guess not."

"I'm really sorry that Doumyouji ruined your cousin's wedding and all," Tsukushi apologized. Then, in a softer tone she added, "And for calling attention to us. Your parents were probably very embarrassed."

He shook her apology away. "How many times do I have to tell you that it doesn't matter?" He smiled. "If anything, I think everyone enjoyed the entertainment, my mother included."

"You're really something else, Hanazawa Rui," Tsukushi told him.

They sat there in companionable silence, until Rui spoke suddenly. "Are you free on Saturday night?"

Tsukushi was startled. "Y-y-yes," she replied tentatively. "Why? What's Saturday night?"

"Well, my mother is preparing a small dinner and she's inviting her close friends. She said I should bring you along." Rui looked at her. "It seems that she was quite taken with you."

"Me?" Tsukushi asked, surprised.

"She said that no one else would have sneezed so loudly during the groom's speech," he reminded her.

"It was the corsage," she mumbled.

"Or would have mistaken the wedding cake for a dog," he continued.

"It was a very low table."

"Or would have overturned a table to catch the bouquet only to throw it to the nearest woman," he finished with a laugh.

Tsukushi stood up in protest." In was instinct!"

But he was laughing to heartily that she couldn't help but join in a few minutes after. She liked this, this easy relationship they had. After those few months when everything was awkward between them, it had somehow settled into a comfortable pattern.

"So?" Rui prompted her when he had caught his breath. "Saturday?"

Of course she said yes.

@----

Mrs. Makino, like many women her age, was guilty of an exceedingly fanciful imagination wherever her daughter was concerned and this often blinded her from reality. She possessed a rather selective hearing, and chose to listen only to words that gave her pleasure, a fact that exasperates her daughter to no end.

She had just returned from the market (after negotiating the price of the cheapest products) and was strolling towards her humble apartment, dragging her son after her, when she spotted her daughter chatting quietly with a tall young man just around the corner. By instinct, Mrs. Makino quickly hid herself behind a telephone booth and strained to hear her daughter's hushed and intense whispers.

At first she was outraged, thinking_, What are you doing, Tsukushi!? You can't do this to Doumyouji-sama!! You'll ruin all your chances with him!_ Then suddenly the words "Hanazawa Rui" caught her ears and her eyes widened at the name.

_Hanazawa? Hana-zawa? Good heavens! Can this be the heir to the renowned Hanazawa Corporation?? Goooo Tsukushi! Yet another conquest! And he's so rich and handsome too!_

Mrs. Makino peeked around the phone booth excited and tried very hard to catch the words passed between her daughter and the remarkable young man.

"I'm afraid I do not know--" began her daughter demurely, her head bowed in misery. But Mrs. Makino failed to hear the rest of the sentence as her son (whose presence she had quite forgotten) said,

"Um, mom, what are you doing?"

"Hush!" Mrs. Makino hissed, pulling Susumu into the phone booth behind her. 

"I don't understand," Rui was saying to Tsukushi in a low voice. "The worst that can happen is that--"

"I don't think we should be spying on sis," Susumu told his mother, frowning. "Shouldn't you give her...like, some privacy or something?"

"Spying!" said Mrs. Makino, scandalized. "They are standing in the middle of the street, for goodness sake. If they wanted privacy they would've chosen a less public spot."

"--I didn't think you would be this serious--" Rui was saying. However, his voice was once again drowned by Susumu's protest.

"But mom, I'm sure they wouldn't be having this conversation if they knew that you're listening! And besides," Susumu continued uneasily, as he watched the young man reach around Tsukushi's waist and held her close for a brief (and affectionate, Mrs. Makino thought with bliss) embrace, "shouldn't _Doumyouji_-san be the one standing there with sis instead?"

"Susumu, be quiet. Hanazawa-san, though regrettably not as rich as Doumyouji, is just as good a match for your sister."

But the rest of the conversation was too low even for Mrs. Makino's sharp ears. As Hanazawa Rui's back was facing her, she could only content herself with watching her daughter's countenance keenly. Tsukushi was now no longer embarrassed and was looking at Rui with a curious and amused luster in her eyes, then she laughed melodically, and graced Rui with a bright smile.

Mrs. Makino rejoiced. Fueled by her powerful imagination, the scene that she just witness was all that she needed to confirm her beliefs. The two teenagers were obviously very fond of each other (and rather intimate too), and in Mrs. Makino's mind, fondness immediately led to love, and love marriage. Within minutes, Tsukushi and Rui were engaged and Mrs. Makino was already thinking of proper names for her grandchildren.

Sensing that their conversation was coming to an end and that Hanazawa Rui was about to take leave, Mrs. Makino quickly emerged from her hiding spot and greeted the two young lovers in hope of detaining the young man.

"Tsukushi!" Mrs. Makino called out happily, dragging her unwilling son behind her. "How was school today? And you brought someone home with you! Would the young man be so kind to stay for tea?"

@----

The following is an account of what actually happened between Rui and Tsukushi:

"I'm afraid I do not know the proper table etiquettes for gatherings like this," Tsukushi lamented to her friend, fearful of embarrassing herself again at the upcoming dinner on Saturday.

Rui, with his hands in his pockets and leaning casually against a light pole, replied nonchalantly, "I don't understand. The worst that can happen is that my mother would be so mortified by you eating your salad with the wrong fork that she decides to banish you forever from our household."

"Hanazawa Rui! I was serious!"

"I didn't think you would be this serious about minor social faux pas."

It was a quiet statement, but Tsukushi flushed slightly at his tone. She did not want him to think her as vain and superficial as Asai and her gang, and so she felt the need to explain her unease.

"It depends on the people that I'm dealing with. How I feel about someone dictates how I wish to act around him or her. And I...I like your mother, Rui. I don't want to appear like a fool in front of her again."

Rui smiled, his usually languid eyes surrendering a soft twinkle. "You already have, at the wedding two days ago, and she still likes you," he pointed out, not unkindly.

There was a small pause, during which Tsukushi gave Rui a small and brief smile for his attempts to reassure her. 

"For each new course," Rui said suddenly, stepping away from the pole he was leaning on, "you pick the silverwares farthest from your plate, and work your way in. Put your napkin on your nap and always sit up straight to show good posture." 

Here, he stepped close to her, and placing one hand in the curve of her waist, he discarded Tsukushi's backpack and forced her to straighten her back. He stepped backwards again as he continued. 

"When the meal is over, leave your cutlery on your plate, side by side, but never crossed. And last but not least, _please_ don't throw your bones under the table or to lick your plate when you are done with your meal."

Tsukushi glared at him, her cheeks flushing. "What makes you think that I would do something as stupid as that? In fact, why would _anyone_ of a sane mind do the last two?"

"Tsukasa did both, when he was six. Tsubaki had forced him to practice his piano for two full hours, so for revenge he chucked chicken bones at her during her birthday dinner. Then later, he decided to lessen the servants' dish-washing duties by licking his plate clean before handing it to her."

Tsukushi laughed, all her previous worries forgotten.

"Don't worry," Rui added. "My mother is not someone who bases her judgments on trivial matters like this. Just relax and be yourself."

Tsukushi smiled at him, thankful for his quiet and subtle thoughtfulness. As the two were about to bid one another farewell, a woman's shrill voice rang out and startled them both.

"Tsukushi! How was school today? And you brought someone home with you! Would the young man be so kind to stay for tea?"

@----

Rui had politely declined the offer at first, but Mrs. Makino had been so persistent and so eager that he was at last too embarrassed to refuse. Mrs. Makino then happily ushered Rui into her small apartment and praised his refined manners and dashing good looks incessantly. Tsukushi blushed the entire way, embarrassed at her mother's lack of tact and decorum.

When the clock stuck five, Rui rose and said quietly and politely that he really ought to return home. It took Rui and Tsukushi another fifteen minutes to convince Mrs. Makino that no, Rui cannot sleepover (Rui looked very amused by the suggestion) and yes, he really must get going. Tsukushi released a sigh of relief once Rui was out the door.

Afterwards, the Makinos went about in their daily routines: Tsukushi and Susumu tried to work on their homework, Mrs. Makino boasted endlessly of her daughter's acquaintance with Hanazawa's heir, and Mr. Makino sat idly, doing nothing at all. 

At 9:30 PM, Mr. Makino retired to bed, and Tsukushi was about to do the same when her mother said in an abnormally loud voice,

"Oh, look! Hanazawa-san left his wallet under the couch! How careless of him."

Tsukushi turned and saw her mother procuring a small black wallet from under the cushions of the couch. Tsukushi blinked. She did not remember Rui even sitting there...he either stood politely or he sat down at the dinner table to try Mrs. Makino's tea.

"Mom!" Tsukushi scowled. "You took his wallet out of his jacket when he took it off, didn't you! He didn't even sit on that couch!"

"Why would I do that, Tsukushi? That's like stealing. And if I stole it, then I wouldn't be announcing my discovery of his wallet to all of you," she grinned at her daughter. "Now, Tsukushi, you must bring it back to him this moment. He'll be looking frantically for it."

Tsukushi stared at her mother as if the latter was mad. "Um...pardon?"

"Go bring the wallet back to him," Mrs. Makino said impatiently, grabbing her daughter's coat as she spoke. "He must have a lot of money and credit cards in here, and it does not do to make him worry about their whereabouts."

"Mom," Tsukushi protested. "It's late! He would be asleep by now."

"Not if he thinks that his wallet and everything in it are missing."

"But his house is like two miles away!"

"Take Susumu's bike. You'll get there in no time."

"I'll give it to him tomorrow."

"No, go bring it to him now," Mrs. Makino said stubbornly. "Or they'll think that you have bad manners and that you haven't been brought up properly."

"Can't I just call him and tell him that he left his wallet here?"

"No. It is rude to call at this late hour."

She wrapped the coat around Tsukushi's shoulders and shoved her daughter and Susumu's bike out the door happily. "Be sure you hand Hanazawa-san his wallet yourself, Tsukushi! Don't just give it to some random servant. They might keep it for themselves, and then he'll think that we stole it."

As this was said, a flashed of lightening lit up the dark sky, followed dramatically by thunders. Tsukushi looked back at her mother, her face faulting a little.

"Um, if you insist that I go at this insane hour, can I at least take a cab? It looks like it's about to rain..."

"No," said Mrs. Makino firmly. "Cabs are too expensive."

"This is madness! If you want him to have the wallet so bad, go give it back to him yourself," said Tsukushi, rolling her eyes. She pushed the bike back to her mother and stomped back into the apartment. She did not get far, however, as Mrs. Makino grabbed her by the arm and pushed her forcefully back into the street along with the bike.

"I don't know him as well as you do, dear. And you're doing a good deed, so don't let rain hinder you!" Mrs. Makino said, beaming widely. Then, before she retreated into the apartment and locked the door, she called out loudly, "And don't you dare come back until you have spoken to Hanazawa-san yourself!"

Five minutes after Tsukushi's reluctant departure, rain started to flood down from the sky above. Mrs. Makino rejoiced again, glad that even fate was on her side. 

"I hope you'll be happy," Susumu muttered to his mother, "if someone abducts Tsukushi in the dark streets or if she dies of pneumonia because of this."

Mrs. Makino was too jubilant in her fancies to care.

@----

Tsukushi rode for thirty minutes through the pouring rain, and she was so cold and so soaked by the time she reached the Hanazawa residence that she could hardly feel her appendages. Peering through her wet and tangled hair, Tsukushi could vaguely see the warm and welcoming lights glowing through the windows of the Hanazawa mansion. Carelessly placing her brother's bike in the front garden, she pushed through the gate and walked up a curvy stone pathway that led to the front door. She hugged her drenched coat tightly around her and rang the doorbell. 

A servant came to the door and was quite taken aback at finding one of the young master's friends standing outside, soaked in the rain. 

"You wish to see the young master, miss?" (Tsukushi only nodded, as her head was too dizzy to allow a coherently reply.) "Please come in and dry yourself while I go get him for you."

Tsukushi absently declined the offer. She only wanted to finish her errand as quickly as possible and return home. The servant went off to fetch her master, but she left the front door wide open, in case Tsukushi changed her mind and wanted a shelter from the rain. 

Tsukushi did not have to wait long. Soon, Rui's face filled her vision, and for a moment Tsukushi forgot the rain, the cold, and even the wallet. She blinked and stared quite openly.

Rui was in his navy blue satin pajamas, with a surprised look on his face. His fair hair, which now appeared almost white-blonde against the bright light from inside the hall, was slightly ruffled, and it made him irresistibly gorgeous. Although he was always gorgeous in a way that made women want to cuddle and mother him, at this particular moment he was gorgeous in such a way that made Tsukushi want to do..._other_ things to him.

"Tsukushi?"

Tsukushi blinked again and gave herself a savage, mental kick.

_Get a grip, girl! Get your mind out of the gutter._

"I'm sorry to wake you at this hour," she said hurriedly, handing him his wet wallet. "But you left this at our house and my mom thinks that it is absolutely necessary that I bring it to you right now--" she broke off with a sneeze.

Rui pocketed his wallet carelessly and quickly pulled Tsukushi into the house, ignoring her weak protests. 

"Is this supposed to be a suicide mission?" he asked, his voice hard.

"Is that a rhetorical question?" muttered Tsukushi drowsily, her head spinning. Rui was not listening, however; he gave the servants quick and urgent orders. Tsukushi soon found herself quickly bathed, thoroughly dried, dressed in warm clothes, and finally...in the slender yet surprisingly strong arms of Hanazawa Rui.

Tsukushi blushed, struggled slightly, and said in a small voice, "If I call a cab now I can still make it home..." she sneezed again.

"It's past eleven, Tsukushi," she heard Rui's quiet voice in the distance. "It's not safe for a lone young woman to ride in cabs around Tokyo this late at night."

The rest of his speech was lost to Tsukushi. Her body slowly went limp against his, and having been out in the freezing cold only twenty minutes ago, the warmth that now engulfed her felt like eternal bliss. She found herself settled down in a warm and soft bed and felt someone pulling the heavy sheets over her. Tsukushi sighed contently; her senses were filled with the pleasant scent of someone close to her and the gentle touch of long fingers lightly stroking her hair. 

She heard a soft chuckle then felt warm lips brushing tenderly against her forehead. 

"Tsukushi, you idiot," said a quiet, distant voice. "This isn't my wallet. It says 'Makino Susumu' on the inside."

But Tsukushi fell into a dreamless slumber and heard nothing more.

...to be continued.

@----

**Authors' Notes:** To answer a question posted by one of the reviewers...this fanfic takes place right after the Canada trip but before the Junpei incident. If you would like to know what happened between Rui and Shizuka during the Canada trip, please refer to Vol. 30 (pg 45). Until next time, everyone =)


	3. In Which Doumyouji Kaede Interferes

**Authors' Notes:** We're very sorry for the delay in coming out with this chapter. This fic of ours totally deviates from the Hana Yori Dango timeline (hopefully still keeping in character), but we hope that you'll still keep on reading! Standard disclaimers apply.

**The Way You Look Tonight**

Ch. III: In Which Doumyouji Kaede Interferes

by dementedchris and Dora-chan 

@----

_I want you to want me_

_ I need you to need me..._

Her eyes remained closed, though she was beginning to slip into hazy consciousness once more. The lukewarm sunlight gently seeped in through the drawn curtains and rested lightly on her thick lashes, casting soft shadows on her pale, sleeping face. She sighed inaudibly, smiling at her blissful comfort and at her uncommonly warm surroundings.

Her first coherent thought was, _How odd. I can't hear Papa snoring._

_Did Mama kick him out of the house for the night or something?_

She shrugged and snuggled contently in the fluffy softness that engulfed her.

_I don't remember my futon being this soft. _

_Or this warm. I must be more tired than I thought._

_Wow, this almost feels like a nice, comfy bed._

She froze.

_Wait.....this IS a bed._

She drew her dark brows together in confusion. Tilting her sleeping face slightly to the left to shy away from the ray of sunlight flowing in the window, she breifly reviewed last night's even in her mind.

_Mama half-forced Rui to stay at our house for tea, then Rui left his wallet at our house and Mama made me ride a bike all the way to his mansion to give it back. It was dark and cold and raining, I was soaked to the bones, it took forever to get there, then....._

_Then there was Rui....very scrumdelicious in his pa--ACK, I mean, he took his wallet back. We started talking, and...._

Tsukushi paled, her memory becoming clearer.

_I....gave him his wallet, then I went home....didn't I? Yes, yes I did. I went home. I AM home._

She carefully kept her eyelids closed; ignorance is bliss, after all. Maybe if she kept them shut long enough, then she'll eventually find herself nestled neatly inside her faded futon back at home. Home.....of course she must be at home, where else could she be? Surely she couldn't have spent the night at--

"Are you awake? Or do you just like to make faces at yourself when you dream?"

Her chestnut-brown eyes snapped open and a boyish face filled her vision. 

"How long--!" her voice, unaccustomed to articulation, squeaked. Tsukushi cleared her throat and repeated, "How long have you been sitting there?"

Rui shrugged in his usual deadpan manner.

"You're an odd one," Rui said, waving her question away. "You make strange faces even when you sleep."

"You're the strange one here," she retorted. She found herself blushing for some unknown reason. "You just sit there and stare at people when they sleep!"

"I just came in here about ten minutes ago to make sure you're doing well," he paused, his marble blue eyes perusing her profile. 

"Oh."

Her discomfort increased under his scrutiny. She sat up slightly, pulling the heavy sheets up to her chin, trying to hide as much of herself from his gaze as possibly. 

"Are you?"

"What?"

"Are you well?"

Tsukushi felt her forehead, looking signs of the prevailing headache from the previous night. Her head throbbed and her visions blurred slightly.

"Yes, I'm much better."

An odd little silence fell between the two, and with each passing moment Tuskushi realized jus how inappropriate it was for her to be there...to fall ill at someone else's house in such an embarrassing fashion. And in front of Hanazawa Rui too!

"Rui?"

He simply looked at her, his eyes answering with a quiet, _ Yes?_

"I'm sorry about last night," she said awkwardly, her slender fingers playing with the hem of her blanket. "I made such a mess and imposed on your family and everything...."

"Well, you did make a mess and snored pretty loudly during the night......"

"Kidding, kidding!" Rui added hastily, when he saw the horror and self-reproach in her eyes.

"I'm just ashamed to impose on someone else like this. I really am sorry."

"You don't have to consider me as 'someone else.' You don't actually think I would mind, do you? If you really feel that bad, I'll just keep your brother's wallet and his money to make up for it."

Tuskushi smiled and was about to thank Rui again when her face suddenly darkened and a vein popped up in her forehead. She glared at the innocent looking boy in front of her.

"The wallet......my brother's........_what_?"

"It didn't occur to you to check the name sewn on the wallet before you came all this way to hand it to me?" Rui asked, amused. He took out the wallet from his pant pocket and allowed Tsukushi a glimpse at the small, round Japanese characters that read: MAKINO SUSUMU

"ARGGH!" Tsukushi, feeling the sudden need to severely damage someone or something, flew out of bed and lunged for the wallet. "I'm going to kill that boy! He saw my mother making me ride his bike to your house and he never said a word that this is his stupid wallet all along!"

Then suddenly everything went black.

Somewhere between flying out of bed and grabbing her brother's wallet, Tsukushi felt a surge of pain in her head and a flash of blackness in her eyes. She fell limply forward, momentarily unconscious. 

Rui, with catlike speed and grace, caught her in his arms. He fell backwards along with her and, with one protective arm firmly around her waist, moved her on top of him to break and cushion her fall.

Her lids fluttered open, and she found herself in a tangled mess on the ground....better yet, she was sprawled (though very comfortably) on top of Hanazawa Rui and was presently staring into a pair of marble blue eyes. _ Wow_, Tsukushi breathed, _his eyes are beautiful_. She felt his arms around her and was keenly aware that his lean muscles were pressed against her curves and that her slender legs were straddling his....

_Hentai alert! Hentai alert!_ her brain screamed. _Get your mind outta the gutter! Honestly, woman, this is the second code red in two days!_

"I really should get ready for school!" Blood flushed to Tsukushi's flaming cheeks as she pushed herself off Hanazawa Rui and quickly gathered her wits together. "I suppose I have to get home and change into my uniforms. Honestly, I have never known parents who are so dense! You should have heard my mother last night when she insisted that I come here despite all that rain. I think I should pretend to be deathly ill just to scare the crap out of my nutcase of a mother. Ah well, after school today--"

Rui pulled Tsukushi up and pushed her back into the bed. "Tsukushi, shut up."

"Rui, I'm fine! Let go of--"

"Bed. Sleep. Now." 

"I need to get to school."

_I need to get away from YOU._

He pulled the sheets over her and nearly smothered her with it. 

"I...I need to take notes in chemistry," she said weakly, her head finally emerging from beneath the covers. She sought desperately for another excuse. Any excuse. "I can't miss any more classes, or I'll fail this semester. Rui, please..."

_Please....let me go. Let me get my mind away from your voice, your smile, your memories....I went through hell for you once. I don't want to get caught in it again. Please...._

Tsukushi started to rise, slowly, from bed. "Don't worry about me, Rui, I promise I'll take care of myself at school Besides, I need to take notes and start studying for finals..."

Rui pushed her back down on the bed gently. She looked up and met his baby-blue eyes.

He smiled. Simple, reassuring, eloquent.

Tsukushi didn't have a chance. She could never let go now.

@----

Tsukasa was confused.

Of course, being Tsukasa, he often was. But he was never as curious about his bewilderment as he was now.

"Rui is going to _class_?"

Soujiro and Akira nodded, their faces just as incredulous as Tsukasa's.

Tsukasa paused. It can't be -- it just doesn't make sense. Clearly either Rui has gone mad, or someone is forcing the boy to attend class against his will. "_Rui_ is going to class?"

"For the eighth time, Tsukasa, YES, he is!" Soujiro snapped.

Tsukasa can only stare. "_Why_?"

Akira shrugged. "Although the chemistry teacher _is_ pretty cute...."

"Akira, she just got married last month."

"Marriage cannot hinder true love," Akira replied loftily. Soujiro rolled his eyes.

"But....chemistry is not even on Rui's schedule!" Tsukasa exclaimed, ignoring Akira and Soujiro's banters. The F4 had already taken that class the previous year. Granted, they never went to class, but they all passed with excellent marks.

"We just passed by that classroom five minutes ago," Soujiro explained, seeing that Tsukasa was perpetually puzzled. "We peeked in to take a look....and -- can you believe it -- Rui was actually paying rapt attention to the lecture!"

"Yeah," Akira nodded. "He was taking notes and everything."

"Maybe he _does_ have a thing for the teacher," said Tsukasa.

"Dammit," Akira muttered. "I was going to make a move on her first."

In light of this shocking news, Tsukasa had fleetingly forgotten his recent irritation for Rui and Tsukushi. But thoughts of Tsukushi are never far from his mind. As Soujiro and Akira spoke of their flamboyant sex life and their women-of-the-week, Tsukasa's thoughts wandered -- once again -- back to Tsukushi. _Why wasn't she at school today? Is she okay? What happened since we last spoke? Has she been with Rui?_

Tsukasa at times despised the romping of his thoughts. Great men like himself do not stoop down to pursue poor peasant girls with such embarrassing heritage! She should be _begging_ him to take her. He deigned to offer her a relationship...and she cast him aside. Fine. Her loss. Hundreds and thousands of women would gladly take her place beside him anyway!

But his mind never worked out like that. When she is angry at him he can only return the anger for so long, before he caves and does everything within his power to appease her and regain her approval. When she cries he feels painfully helpless that he could not dry her tears. When she smiles at him he would give up the world to keep the luster in her eyes. And when she leaves him his soul is clawed open and his whole life falls apart.

"Tsukasa," Soujiro's voice seeped into his thoughts. Tsukasa focused his eyes and looked up at Soujiro.

"Hmm?"

"The bell just rang," Soujiro said, nodding towards the students streaming out of the classrooms. "Want to ambush Rui and see if he's still sane?"

Tsukasa thought of Tsukushi and their last conversation together.

"No. I don't really care." Tsukasa turned and started to walk away. "I have to go home now. My mother is back from New York."

@----

Doumyouji Kaede was one busy woman. She had matters to attend to right away, and as her sleek limousine pulled up the Hanazawas' driveway, she drummed her fingers impatiently against the briefcase. But when the vehicle came to a complete stop, she took her time in getting out of the car, assisted of course by her chauffer. Time waits for no man, or so they said. 

But it did for a woman -- especially if she was Doumyouji Kaede.

The Hanazawas' servants lined up to welcome her, as if she was marching inside her own household. She barely glanced at them, heading straight for the charming woman who smiled at her.

"Ah, Kaede-san, this certainly is a surprise!" Hanazawa Michiko greeted her warmly. "I had heard that you were coming back tomorrow."

"The earlier I can get started on my work, the better," she replied. "I needed something from Hanazawa-san. I called his office when I arrived and they said he might still be home. I tried reaching him on his mobile but I didn't get any reply." She resolved to keep the irritation from her voice. She wasn't used to running after people like this. 

Michiko shook her head regretfully. "You just missed him!"

Kaede clicked her tongue. "Well, then. I guess I'd better leave."

"Why don't you stay for a little tea first, Kaede-san?" Michiko offered graciously. "You are our guest; I'd never forgive myself if I let you go without anything."

Kaede looked at her assistant from the corner of her eye. "What time is my next meeting?"

"Not until an hour, madam," the man replied.

"Very well, Michiko-san," she answered. "I'd appreciate some tea." She followed the woman to the next room, where servants quickly rushed to arrange their tea.

Michiko stopped just before she reached out to serve the tea. "I almost forgot! We have another guest here, Kaede-san. You wouldn't mind if we included her, would you?" 

But before Kaede could reply, she was already instructing one of her servants to call the guest in. "Please tell young master Rui's guest to join us for tea." As the servant left, the other woman turned to Kaede. "One of Rui's friends had to spend the night after coming down with a slight fever. I don't think they suspected that I know she's here!" She laughed. "Kids these days. Do they think I don't know what goes on in my own household? But I like this friend of Rui's so I don't mind her staying over."

Doumyouji Kaede nodded perfunctorily during the brief speech. She couldn't care less who this friend of Rui's was, but as a guest she knew she had to show some polite interest. Normally, she wouldn't even bother, but Hanazawa Michiko was too polite and well-mannered to ignore.

A few minutes after, a polite shuffling interrupted their small talk. The paper door slid open and Doumyouji Kaede stared at the familiar figure that walked in: Makino Tsukushi.

@----

Tsukushi's eyes nearly popped out of her head when she saw Tsukasa's mother sitting there across from Mrs. Hanazawa. The last thing she expected was her worst nightmare here in this household.

The woman minced no words as she stood up abruptly. "I knew my son was crazy enough to run after a common girl like you. When you knew he was out of your league, you went after the nearest available rich boy. You're a scheming little gold digger, and it's high time that the Hanazawa's knew what kind of girl they have for a guest."

"Kaede-san, Kaede-san," Rui's mother tried to appease the other woman. 

But Tsukushi was not going to let someone else fight her battles for her. Flushed with anger, she retorted. "How dare you insinuate that? I came here to return something to Hanazawa Rui. I got sick and he insisted that I stay until I got better --"

"Excuses, excuses," Kaede interrupted. "You've destroyed my son's future long enough. You'll see what happens when you cross a Doumyouji!" She turned to leave despite Mrs. Hanazawa's pleas and protests.

But before she reached the front door, Tsukasa came barging in. "They said I'd find you here. What's the big…"

His voice trailed off when he saw Tsukushi standing behind his mother and Mrs. Hanazawa. "Ma-- Makino? What are you doing here?"

Tsukushi blushed a little at the strangeness of her situation. "You see, I --"

Kaede interrupted accusingly. "This girl you're so crazy over just spent the entire night here. She's been playing you for a fool."

"That's not exactly what happened!" Tsukushi defended.

Doumyouji's mother whirled to face her. "Are you denying what I said?"

"It's true that I spent the night here," she replied, flushed and defiant, "but it wasn't because I wanted to." 

"You see!" Kaede crowed. "Do you now see what kind of a woman this girl is?"

"Why don't we all sit down and discuss this calmly?" Mrs. Hanazawa broke in, trying to appease each one.

But Tsukasa only had eyes for Tsukushi. "Did you really spend the night here?"

Tsukushi tried to explain one more time, raising her voice above all the other voices. She didn't know why, but she really felt that it was important to tell Tsukasa the truth. No matter how many times they had fought and disappointed each other, she still couldn't bear to see the hurt look in his eyes. "I just returned Rui's wallet to him. But it was raining so hard, and I felt sick, and he insisted that I rest up."

"The girl's feeding you a pack of lies!" Kaede said to her son.

"You decide whether to believe me or not," Tsukushi told Tsukasa levelly. "But I'm telling you the truth."

Tsukasa took one long look at the scene -- the worried Mrs. Hanazawa, his irate mother, and Tsukushi's unwavering stance. He held out his hand to her. "Come on, Makino. Let's get out of here."

@----

"You have a habit of rescuing me from your mother," Tsukushi said, a little gratefully, once they had flagged down a taxi. Tsukasa had pushed her inside just before his mother's SP's could reach them. Although Tsukushi didn't back down from Doumyouji Kaede, she still felt a little better knowing that Tsukasa was on her side.

But he had been strangely quiet all of a sudden. Tsukushi frowned. _What is he thinking of? Did he really think I was with Hanazawa Rui the entire time? _ Of course, the circimstances pointed that way, but she thought that Tsukasa should know better. "Hey," she say, poking his arm.

"He went to class for you," Tsukasa said distantly.

For a moment, Tsukushi blanked. She didn't know who the 'he' Tsukasa was talking about. "Hanazawa Rui?" she guessed.

"Who else?" Tsukasa growled. "I was worried about you the whole day and it turns out you spent the night with my best friend!"

Tsukushi felt a wave of anger rush through her. "I was not _with _him! I thought I had made that clear."

"I know you've always liked him," he muttered. Tsukasa was thinking back on all his fears. She kept running away from him, straight to Rui's arms. He tried everything, but he couldn't seem to get through to her. "What was I to think?"

"What has that have to do with anything? Nothing happened!" Tsukushi retorted, throwing her hands in the air in frustration. "I did not run away from your mother's accusations only to listen to yours."

Tsukasa motioned the cab driver to slow down. "Then maybe I should stop the taxi so you can get off."

"Maybe you should," Tsukushi replied.

Tsukasa looked at her, then tapped the driver's shoulder and urged him to go on. "Naaah."

Tsukushi let a long irritated breath. "Drop me off on the next corner. I can walk to my house from there."

"I'm not taking you home," he told her.

"So where are we going? Your mansion?"

"I'm not stupid, you know."

"Could have fooled me," Tsukushi murmured under her breath. "So where are you taking me?" she demanded loudly. "This is kidnapping, you know."

"It's not your first," he said impishly. Tsukushi caught the mischievous glint in Tsukasa's eye and just gave up. She knew better when _not_ to argue with him.

He took her to a small hill that overlooked Tokyo. The cab driver let them off at the foot of the hill, and they climbed the rest of the way up. It was nearly sunset, and the place was bathed in warm afternoon colors of gold and orange. Tsukushi felt that all of her problems were worlds away, and a peacefully feeling settled on her when she reached the top.

"This is a beautiful place, Doumyouji," Tsukushi breathed.

"And for once, I didn't even have to pay for the view," Tsukasa joked.

Tehy were silent for a while, giving Tsukushi enough time to think over the past few days. It had certainly been some roller-coaster ride for her. _Hanazawa Rui is just like a guardian angel_, she ghouth. _And he really makes me feel warm and fuzzy inside. But Doumyouji...he's loud and he's arrogant and he's irritating..._ Her thoughts trailed off. No matter how many negative things she had to say about Doumyouji, she couldn't deny the weird attraction between them, something that she couldn't really define.

"Makino," he said suddenly.

"What?" she answered, trying to hide the blush that came so easily to her cheeks. What if he knew what she had been thinking of? She might just die of embarrassment.

When he looked at her, his eyes were serious and intense. "I know that you like Rui. I don't know why, but I know that I can never be that kind of a guy." Tsukushi noticed the faint line of sweat that trickled down one side of his face. _Was he nervous? Why? _"But I also know that I'm not going to give you up without a fight."

Tsukushi's mouth dropped open. Was he saying what she thought he was saying?

"Makino, I lo--"

"Hey, that man over there just took his clothes off!" she cried out, pointing to the distance to distract him. "Did you see that?"

"What?"

"There! By the trees… he's heading for the park… oops, he's gone now. You just missed him," she fibbed. 

"I don't see anyone," Tsukasa frowned.

"That's because you don't have the Makino Tsukushi High Powered Vision!" she exclaimed, raising her hand triumphantly as if to emphasize a point. She smiled at him. "Let's go home, Doumyouji."

Minutes later, another cab stopped in front of their apartment, and Tsukasa helped Tsukushi get off. "You better be in school tomorrow," he scolded her, all hints of his serious conversation earlier seemingly vanished. "Or else I'll be spending another fortune in cab rides."

"I'm not a delinquent," she retorted. "Your mother will probably kill you when you get home."

He waved her comment off as he got back into the taxi. "Yeah, yeah."

Tsukushi tried to hide a grin as she went back to her house. He was really so full of himself! Which was why she wondered why she thought of him every now and then. As she turned the knob of her door, she heard a movement behind her. Turning, she saw Hanazawa Rui standing there, an unreadable expression on his face.

_...to be continued._

@----


End file.
